Heartbreaker
by peachesxcream
Summary: What do you call a boy with sensitive lyrics and an insensitive veneer? Withdrawn. What do you call a girl determined to win a reckless struggle? Driven. What do you call this boy and girl put together? Heartbreakers. SxS.
1. Perfect

Disclaimer: Jenna&Eileen own nothing related to CCS. 

Summary: All their lives, best friends Kinomoto Sakura and Daidouji Tomoyo have competed, but never has Sakura come out on top. This year, she decides it'll be different, and is determined to win their annual bet: Who can go out with the most guys by the senior ball? Sakura believes she has an excellent chance of winning this year… until she gets to a certain boy. How many hearts will Sakura break until she gets her own broken?

* * *

Heartbreaker

_:peachesxcream: _

Chapter 1: Perfect

**x3****  
**

I was grumbling to myself.

I'm not normally a grumbling type of person – I'm actually quite the opposite – but when I entered homeroom on the first day of school at Tomoeda High, it was a mess. Obnoxious seniors were scattered throughout the room, playing cards, listening to i-pods, hanging off of each others' necks like there was no tomorrow. Hoping to go unseen, I shuffled to the back of the classroom, but unfortunately for me, I was spotted.

"Looking good, Kinomoto!" One of the jocks smirked and cat-whistled. _Disgusting_. No, _revolting._ And the way he said my name, it was like four different words: "Kee-no-MOE-toh!"

Not to go about sounding conceited, but it's difficult being popular.

At last, the bell rang. Music to my ears. A gorgeous girl entered the room, her features traced with youth. If she had not been professionally clad in a matching gray suit and skirt, I would've thought her to be another student.

The jock that was checking me out earlier nudged his friends eagerly, nodding in the teacher's direction. "Check out the new kid!"

And that, kiddos, is what you should never grow up to be.

The sensei glanced upwards, mahogany locks flowing over her shoulders. "I am what you call a _sensei_ – I don't know if you pathetic excuse for a human can comprehend that two-syllable word – but you will address me with respect by calling me Mizuki-sensei, or you WILL be kicked out of my class. Same goes for the rest of you deranged creatures."

Jaws dropped.

Then she smiled sweetly. "I will be your sensei for homeroom and Japanese. If you have any questions, I encourage you to ask with no reluctance!"

While we all stared on, stunned by her change of personality, she continued. "You are no longer middle-schoolers, so we won't go around the room asking how your summer vacations were. I'm assuming you had the time of your life partying, maybe even trying to prove your calculator wrong…" Here she raised an eyebrow at the kid sitting in the front row, carefully arranging three sharpened #2 pencils next to a typewriter… or was that a calculator? "…so let's get down to the assignment."

Groans emitted from almost every student, but Mizuki-sensei smiled delightedly. "I want a six-paragraph essay, no more or less, typed, double-spaced, size twelve, Times New Roman, due tomorrow, no exceptions." A student audibly whimpered. "The topic will be on your best friend: how you met him/her, some of your most vivid memories with him/her, his/her most prominent traits, and a one-word description of him/her, along with a paragraph with supporting details. Understand?"

One timid boy raised his hand. "S-s-s-sensei, what if we have no best friend?"

With a sympathetic glance, she walked over to him and patted his head. "Oh honey, I'm sorry…" Then she glared menacingly and barked, "WRITE ABOUT YOUR PET!"

A few sniffles later (from the boy) and Sensei-Mizuki was back at the front of the room. "Seeing as though I've already thoroughly explained the assignment, I suppose we could sit back and discuss some of your summer vacations…"

Here I decided to tune out and start planning my essay. It seemed easy enough, but I've always had a tendency to start assignments in my head. Now, how my best friend and I first met…?

We were both four years old. My okaa-san took me to Penguin Park, where she was reunited with Daidouji Sonomi, her best friend she hadn't seen in years. Apparently, Aunt Sonomi had a four-year-old daughter, too…

As our mothers caught up on lost time, I wandered off, plucking some things up from the ground that caught my eye. I trotted around, still on my mini-expedition when I came across a snail. I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed back then, and I believed the snail to be a piece of chocolate _shaped_ like a snail (don't ask) so I picked it up and did one of the stupidest things I've ever done in my life.

I ate it.

So there I sat, choking on the hard shell, while my okaa-san chatted away.

Meanwhile, Sonomi's four-year-old daughter, Tomoyo, had passed the time by stalking me. And that girl just **did not shut up.**

"Whatcha doin'? What's ya name? How old ahh you? What color's ya toenails? How many crayons do ya have? Why's yoh face turnin' bloo? Why yoo makin' funny noises? Huh? Huh? Huh?" she curiously interrogated me, poking me with every question.

To this day, I firmly believe that if she had never realized I was choking, she would've kept on talking… and talking… and talking.

So when she finally realized I was choking, she gasped, ran behind me, and began performing the Heimlich maneuver. While this little girl was miraculously saving me, she rambled on about how she learned the Heimlich maneuver from the Baywatch episode the other day, and how Muscle Man did the exact thing to the girl with the cantaloupes hanging off her chest… ahem.

And finally, I coughed up that damn snail.

After I sat, paralyzed with shock, I began wailing. Confused, and not wanting to be left out, Tomoyo started wailing as well. So on we wailed, still going unnoticed by the adults, until I gasped for air long enough to promise her, "Since yoo saved my life, I'll save yors one day too." And that pact was the origin of our friendship.

We've been best friends ever since, constantly doing things for one another. One day, in kindergarten, my pink crayon split in two. I sobbed over the loss until feisty little Tomoyo got fed up and stole a pink crayon from the boy next to her and handed it to me. And when my okaa-san passed away the year after, she took care of me like I was her sister.

I loved her to death, but I couldn't shake a certain feeling that formed at the pit of my stomach in our later years…

Jealousy.

Tomoyo and I had gone out fishing with our parents and my onii-chan. She caught three of the prettiest fish I'd ever seen, and I was determined to catch three beautiful fishies, too.

Ohoho, was I wrong. Instead, I caught a dead fish. And let's not forget that good ol' rotten boot!

In second grade, Tomoyo and I were jump roping. I forced my scrawny legs to jump all the way to ninety-nine, until I finally collapsed in exhaustion. Triumphantly, I stood up, counting how many jumps Tomoyo's skinny legs could do.

Lo and behold, she jumped one hundred!

I suppose that's when our competitiveness raised to such an extent that we made a competition out of the smallest things, to the point where we would compete over how far we could count.

In third grade, Tomoeda had a coloring contest sponsored by a popular magazine. The assignment was to "color a provided image on a white sheet of copy paper, using unique color combinations that contrast well with one another to demonstrate how much our creativity and imagination distinguishes from the rest of the other third graders in Tomoeda."

I didn't know what the hell that meant, so I just colored like I would color a page from my Barbie coloring book.

Tomoyo, of course, used her natural shading talents and won second place. I received an Honorable Mention award for coloring inside the lines. Tomoyo got hers placed in a magazine, distributed and received nation-wide.

Mine was placed on our classroom wall.

In fifth grade, Tomoeda Elementary held a Spelling Bee. The two finalists were, of course, Tomoyo and me. They asked me to spell "judgment." Caught up in nervousness, I blurted out the first letters I that came to my mind, and ended up spelling "judgment" with an extra "e."

But of course, Tomoyo got it correct and received first place, and I placed second.

The winner was allowed a free lunch from the cafeteria. I, being the little overconfident girl I was, didn't bring a lunch, thinking I would win the contest, fair and square.

Like I said… I wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed_. _

During our eighth grade year at Tomoeda Middle, both Tomoyo and I entered an ice-skating competition. I must admit, I was quite the ice skater. You see, there was a difference when Tomoyo and I skated. Tomoyo did it with no mistakes: just plainly, nicely, and with ease. But I… I skated with such passion and feeling that the judges were simply awed by my performance…

…except for when I did my triple axel and fell.

So naturally, Tomoyo's nice skating landed her with a 9.98.

I would have received a perfect 10 for my awesome performance, but because of that one fall, I got a 9.97. That year, when Tomoyo placed first (big surprise), she got an interview, which was later aired on television.

I obtained a spray-painted silver medal (the color deteriorated when I accidentally wet it) and a pat on the back.

In sophomore year, our yearbook included a page with the "Most…"s and "Best…"s, and other things in that category. That year, I decided I wanted to be known in our high school. Not just that plain-looking girl who was known as the "best friend of Daidouji," but as someone different. So, I gathered old clothes from the attic, unique accessories, and articles of clothing I found in vintage shops.

Instead of getting "Most Stylish" that year, my best friend, with outfits (designed and sewed herself) fit for a movie star, got "Most Stylish."

And me?

I got "Class Clown."

Most recently, in our junior year, I was nominated for Prom Queen. Yes, I did eventually become known as someone different after that horrible day I was voted "Class Clown." Tomoyo and I became two of the most popular girls in school.

The violet-haired beauty, my best friend, was nominated for Prom Queen, as well. We were each assigned partners so we would be able to appear as couples in front of the whole school. That night, excitement was thick in the air as the King and Queen were, finally announced. Yet, that year, that gorgeous, popular best friend of mine was voted Prom Queen, and her escort Prom King. That boy was the hottest senior in school. Yes, _senior._

My partner was a foot shorter than me. How and why he was nominated is still an unsolved mystery.

No, that's not all of the stories, but I'd prefer not to continue unless you'd like me to die of embarrassment.

But honestly speaking, when I'm alone, I begin contemplating… Why bother? She's better than me at almost everything.

Well, except for the fact that I can draw better stars than her. If that counts for anything.

But even though we may be always competing, our friendship never fades. This I know for sure because she never puts me down or makes fun of me when I'm not as talented at something as her. She could have been part of the "I'm-Only-Popular-Because-Everyone-Hates-Me" clique, but instead, she hangs out with me, her best friend of thirteen years.

Oh, I could go on and on about her characteristics: loving, tender, compassionate, trustworthy, humorous, adventurous, exciting, audacious, loyal…

But to describe Tomoyo in one word? That's easy.

Perfect.

__

x3

Read and review, loves

_:peachesxcream:_


	2. Hazy

Eileen and Jenna, back again with your second chapter of _Heartbreaker_! Remember to review and tell us what you thought about it, mmkay?

Disclaimer: peachesxcream doesn't own CCS! If we did, we'd be earning $2958902582945957692.00 an hour. Riiight riiight?

* * *

_Heartbreaker_

:peachesxcream:

Chapter 2: Hazy

****

x3

A mess of auburn hair was slumped behind a calculus book. Blinking tiredly, gorgeous emerald eyes squinted, scrutinizing the page before them. A girl of seventeen years attempted to decipher the unknown characters printed out onto the book, then began whimpering in frustration as she slowly brought a Snickers bar eye level to her.

"No, Sakura-chan. You… will… not… give… _in_!"

Setting the bar down, the stunning teenager, oblivious to her beauty, completed another calculus problem before triumphantly scarfing down her treasured chocolate.

Thinking out loud (with her mouth full of half-eaten chocolate), Sakura mumbled, "What kind of teacher gives calculus homework on the first day of school!"

She blindly reached for her cell phone then held down the number two on speed dial. It automatically began ringing.

"Moshi moshi, Tomoyo-san here!" rang a sleepy, yet cheerful voice on the other line.

"Meh."

"Kinomoto Sakura, stop eating your Snickers bar and finish your homework!" Tomoyo tiredly scolded.

"But To-mo-yo-cha-a-an, I need help with my calculus homework! And I feel like talking to you because I haven't seen you since your trip to that one country with the penguins!" Sakura whined, the side of her face falling against her wooden desk.

"Okay, Sakura-chan. I miss you too. But first of all, there are no penguins in Hawaii–"

"Bah." Sakura picked up another Snickers bar and sniffed it.

"–and second, I don't know if you've noticed, but it's about one A.M., and around this time, normal people are… oh, what do they call it? Something like _sleeping-_"

"To-mo-yo-cha-a-an!"

The girl on the other line sighed. "Fine, but only because you're my best friend."

And Sakura smiled to herself, for she knew Tomoyo would always be there for her.

**_x3_**

Sakura swiftly glided through the streets of her hometown, Tomoeda, her surroundings becoming a blur. As she neared Tomoeda High, she slowed down, the freshly familiar scent of autumn reaching her nose. She had to admit, being back at school was exciting. New _classes_, new _teachers_, new _friends_, new-

"Hoe!" Sakura's silky auburn hair flew in all directions, her jade green eyes widening as she landed flat on her butt.

"Gomen nasai, can I help you up?"

Sakura stared at the boy in front of her and self-consciously swiped at her mouth, hoping to wipe away any drool that had been dribbling down her chin. She warily extended her arm and a strong, warm hand grasped hers, lifting her to her feet again.

"A-Arigatou, a-arigatou," she nodded her head continuously until she heard a divine sound escape his lips - a laugh.

"No problem," his gray eyes twinkled with laughter. "I have to get going… I'll see you later, Miss…"

"Kinomoto Sakura," she completed. "H-h-hai! Ja ne!" Sakura eagerly – maybe too eagerly – nodded, waving at him even while he was too far for her to see.

Oh, and of course… new _hotties_.

_**x3**_

"Sakura-chan!" Squeals emitted from across the quad, attracting stares from Sakura's fellow classmates.

Hearing her name being shrieked, Sakura directed herself to the source of the squealing and jogged to her and her friends' "spot," gripping her lunch tray.

"Hey guys!" Sakura greeted her close friends, Sasaki Rika, Yanagisawa Naoko, and Mihara Chiharu, with suffocating hugs. "Where's Tomoyo-chan?"

As if on cue, a daintily dressed girl with waist-length indigo locks, perfectly chiseled features, and a fair complexion reached their table. She set down her tray with a thud and greeted all her friends with hugs and animated squeals, and they all began chatting about their summer vacations.

Lost in a daze, Sakura nodded and vaguely responded when they asked her questions, though she was actually observing her surroundings.

Tomoeda High was nothing extravagant, but its campus was gorgeous. Sakura trees were scattered about, lining the concrete pathways. A vast blue sky stretched above her, with barely a cloud in sight. Teenagers conversed on fields of grass or in the shade of the Sakura trees, while some kicked around soccer balls. A couple of girls nearby were sharpening their volleyball skills, and some students were bobbing their heads to their earphones. Near the cherry blossom trees, a boy was tuning his guitar, his eyes downcast as he concentrated on his music. At the bottom of the guitar, she could make out a small sticker: the Superman sign. Smiling to herself a little, Sakura glanced around and saw new, modernized buildings facing the middle of the campus, forming the shape of a circle. It was a peaceful sight, and she felt as if she were in her second home.

"Sa-ku-ra!" a sing-song voice impatiently sang. "Are you listening to us?"

Glancing around, Sakura's daydreams were interrupted as her friends finally caught her attention. "We're talking about this year's bet between you and Tomoyo," Naoko informed her.

At the mention of this subject, Sakura's ears perked up; she was obviously intrigued.

"All right – any ideas as to what the bet might be this year?" Sakura challenged them, a delicately-shaped eyebrow raised.

"Hai, actually, we do," Tomoyo smirked, munching on an apple. "Maybe if you had been paying _attention_…"

"Gomen," Sakura shrugged, accompanied with a weak smile. "What do you have in mind?" She leaned in a little, eager to hear about it. This was the bet she was going to win. She could feel it.

Tomoyo smirked. "All right. It's our senior year, so we were thinking of something… fun. _Daring._"

"And difficult!" Chiharu chirped, the others nodding their heads in agreement.

"So we were thinking, how about… who can go out with the most guys this year?" Rika shrugged, taking a bite of her lunch (three carrots).

Sakura winced, biting her thumb nail. "Ano… that's a bit harsh, ne? Think about how many hearts we'll be breaking…"

Naoko intelligently raised her pointer finger. "That's the hard part. I know it sounds a little heartless, but that's what's challenging about it. You see, you can't let yourself get in too deep. If you fall for him, it's your fault. You'll eventually have to break up with him to move on to the next guy. So just as long as you get him to ask you out, go on three dates, and have your first kiss with him, he shouldn't take it too hard when you dump him."

"…I don't know…" Wasn't that bet a little mean? Couldn't they think of something more fun, a little less hurtful?

"C'mon, Sakura-chan! It'll be fun! The three of us will be referees, and all you'll have to do is go down your list of guys, get them to ask you out (you can't ask them), go on three dates (that he'll be the one arranging), and get him to kiss you at least once. The lists will be in random order, so you and Tomoyo won't have to go out with the same guy. Whoever goes out with the most guys wins." Sakura's three close friends nodded simultaneously.

"But that's not all they're evaluating us on," Tomoyo added. "They're also going to ask each of the guys who they enjoyed being with more - Tomoyo-chan or Sakura-chan?"

"Eh…" Sakura was still iffy. She would hate to have her heart broken because of a bet.

"Sakura-chan! Give in to the peer pressure already!" Rika pounded her fists on the wooden table, her eyes widening while she leaned in, resembling something like a gorilla. They all giggled, and Sakura's mood lightened a bit.

"…All right."

The four other girls cheered, high-fiving each other while grabbing out their pens and notebooks to start writing the lists.

About ten minutes later, Tomoyo glanced at her wrist and winced. "Sorry guys, I gotta go. My locker's all the way in that building-" she pointed to the one farthest from where they were sitting, "and I still gotta get my books for fourth period."

Peering at her watch, the other three girls agreed that they should get going.

"Aren't you coming too, Sakura-chan?" Chiharu turned to her and tilted her head to the side, confused as to why Sakura was still sitting there.

"Don't worry about me, I already have my books for fourth period. You guys go on without me," Sakura assured her, waving her hand airily.

"Okay…" they responded a bit uneasily, but nevertheless rose to leave. "Ja ne, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura smiled and slightly waved. Once they were out of sight, she tossed the remains of her lunch and peeked at her watch. She had approximately ten minutes until fourth period arrived, so she decided to amble along the cherry blossom trees and relax in the shade for awhile.

A number of thoughts were scrambling around in her head as she contemplated on this year's bet. She knew it was wrong, but… it _was_ sort of clever. And it was her only chance to win a bet against Tomoyo; who knew if they would be going to the same university? Yet at the same time… it was cruel. Frustrated, she slumped against the solid trunk of a Sakura tree.

'_I need to clear my head…' _she thought to herself as she grasped her head between her palms.

A tranquil breeze wafted by, carrying with it a mellow tune and a few fragile Sakura petals. Thinking she must be imagining it, she continuously knocked her head against the tree. _'Oh great, now I'm hallucinating!'_

But as she finally halted her banging, the tune became clear. The person playing was plucking a few strings, merely fooling around with the guitar, but Sakura could identify the origin of a fresh new song. After the strumming of a few chords, a strong melody rang out, loud and clear. It was calming and soft, impacting with just the right amount of volume, so beautifully, carefully composed. A deep voice began humming along, so low and soothing butterflies rose at the pit of her stomach.

The school bell rang from a distance, signaling the end of lunch, yet she didn't pay second thought to it.

Just listening to the guitar playing caused her to forget her dilemmas. Her doubts and pains washed away, and life was once again simple. Sakura knew now that whenever she was distressed, all she had to do was recall this tune. Recall it and relish its simplicity.

And so she blissfully closed her emerald eyes, savoring the melody, her thoughts now distant and hazy.

_**x3**_

Hope you enjoyed it! Read & review.

_:peachesxcream:_


	3. Lonely

It's okay. You guys can totally hate us for only now updating in… what, three months? But hey, we updated! And that's all that matters. :

Disclaimer: peachesxcream would love to own CCS. But we don't. And that's sad. Because CLAMP does!

* * *

_Heartbreaker_

_:peachesxcream:_

_Chapter 3: Lonely_

_**x3**_

A messy-haired teenage boy collapsed onto his bed in exhaustion. Groaning in frustration, he ran his slender fingers through his hair, as if trying to tame it. Slowly opening an amber eye, he glanced at the digital clock across the vast, sage green-painted room. _'Ugh, five-thirty already? What have I been doing for the past hour?'_

He saw her again today. It broke his heart to look at her, holding someone's hand that wasn't his, softly stroking a face that wasn't his, and leaning in to passionately kiss a pair of lips that weren't his. A painful smile graced his handsome face as he recalled her face. Her thoughtful, sky blue eyes – not his favorite color, but pretty nonetheless– and her black, spiraling curls that reached just below her shoulders. Standing at 5'7, Tanaka Aya was perfect. Absolutely perfect. And he couldn't live without her.

A blush crept up his cheeks as brought to mind the two times she spoke to him last year when they were juniors. Twice! She spoke to him _twice_! Not once, but _twice!_

His goal this year was three conversations with her. Four, if he was lucky and she spoke to him because he looked absolutely irresistible with _newly-tamed hair_.

A giggle emitted from his mouth (followed immediately by a smack on the head at the fact that he just _giggled_) and the blush on his cheeks deepened. Then he proceeded to thrash about on his king-sized bed in frustration because of how stupid he was for loving someone who would never love him back, flailing his arms and kicking his feet, when the door opened.

"Having the time of our life, are we, cute little descendent?"

The teenager abruptly halted his thrashing, opening his eyes to find sapphire orbs gazing steadily at him. Rapidly straightening himself out, he sprung up beside his massive, olive green bed, smiling sheepishly. "Hiiragizawa! What brings you here?" He brushed some imaginary dust off his 6-foot-tall frame, smoothing out his slightly baggy jeans.

"Syaoran-kun…" Hiiragizawa Eriol clapped a hand firmly on the other boy's shoulder, shaking his head sympathetically. "You weren't thinking about –"

"Yes, I was! She's all I can think about! Eriol, I dream about her. So often that when I wake up, I think my dreams were real! And she's the first thing that I think about when I wake up, and the last thing I think about when I fall asleep. The only reason I go to _school _is because of her. I even compose lyrics about her! It's sickening, how crazy I am about her!" He collapsed upon his bed again, tossing and turning, repeatedly digging his face into his green, goose-feather pillow.

Eriol shifted uncomfortably, his tall frame still residing by the door. "Ano… I was actually going to ask if you were thinking about how I ate your chocolate stash again…"

Once again halting his trashing, Syaoran shot daggers at Eriol with his gorgeous eyes. "You did _what!_"

Faltering under Syaoran's murderous glare, Eriol scratched the back of his dark blue, almost black, head. He adjusted his thickly-framed glasses and smiled nervously, slipping his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. "Well, I should get going now… Ja ne, Syaoran!"

Halfway out the door, a pillow bonked him on the back of his head. Correction, a pillow with an alarm clock slipped between the pillow sheets bonked him on the back of his head.

"_Hiiragizawa Eriol, you are just _asking _to die._" And thus began a violent pillow fight.

Quickly ascending the spiraling staircase toward Syaoran's room at the sound of commotion, a midnight black-haired woman finally reached her destination and peeked through the slightly ajar doorway. Her maroon eyes rested upon the sight before her, and a knowing smile brightened her facial features. As she strolled down the hallway, she shook her head slightly at the thought of her immature son and nephew having a pillow fight.

"Boys will be boys."

_**x3**_

Nervously wringing her hands, Sakura inhaled deeply. _'This is your first step to winning the bet, Sakura. You want this. You need to prove that you're just as good as your best friend.'_ Glancing down at her neatly-typed list, she read the first line:

Matsuko Kenji.

Pushing open the door to her second period classroom, she glanced around before spotting him. He was a fairly nice boy, and she felt horrible for doing this to him. But you gotta do what you gotta do… right?

"Konnichiwa, Matsuko-san!" Sakura slipped into the seat beside him, greeting him with a smile and a pathetic excuse for a wink. _'Note to self: Never, ever try winking. Again.'_ Sakura winced as she realized how stupid she must've looked.

"K-Kinomoto-san!" His hands began shaking uncontrollably. "What brings you here?"

"Actually, Kenji-kun – can I call you that? – I just wanted to get to know you a little better." Sakura blinked her eyes innocently at him.

"Y-You wanna get to know _me_ a little better?" Kenji asked incredulously, his eyes widening.

"Hai, Kenji-kun, I really do!" Sakura plastered a smile on her face, groaning inwardly at how horrible a person she was.

"Ano… o-okay. How about tonight, then? I'll pick you up at seven?" Aww, his hands were sweating like pigs. How cute.

Not.

"Hai!" She flashed him another flirtatious smile, scribbling down her address for him. "I'll be ready!" Then the bell rang, signaling the start of class. Whew. One down, plenty to go.

_**x3**_

Sakura left her lunch table fifteen minutes before the bell rang. She told her friends that she was going for a walk, and again she found herself by the same cherry blossom tree as the other day. She leaned her head against the tree trunk, slowly closing her eyes. Her date yesterday wasn't half bad. Except for the fact that… oh, let's say… 99 of the time, she was feeling unbelievably guilty. A breeze blew past her as she glanced up at the trees, noticing there were fewer blossoms on the tree than the day before.

Resting her chin in her hands, Sakura inhaled the fresh scent surrounding her. She already asked Kenji out on a second date. She wasn't planning on kissing him on the lips – somewhat a violation of the rules, but she wasn't going to let _any _of the guyskiss her on the lips – but maybe just kissing him on the cheek. And after the third date, she was going to let him know that she just wasn't feeling a "connection." Or some kind of bull like that.

She leaned her dead-straight auburn locks against the tree again. No one knew this, but… she hadn't had her first kiss yet. Sakura wasn't going to have it with just anyone. No sirree! She was going to wait patiently (or try to) until _he_ came along. _He_ who would complete her world. _He_ who would fill that hole of emptiness she tried so hard to ignore ever since the day her life fell apart as a young girl. _He_ who would love her, despite the fact that her best friend, Tomoyo, far more the perfect girl than she is.

_**x3**_

Lunch. Ahh, what he looked forward to the most during the school day. When he could just sit amidst the Sakura trees and enjoy his peaceful surroundings. When he could play his most prized possession, his guitar. When he could get away from her.

It was like a love/hate situation. He loved her for being the perfect girl. He loved her for her gentle smile. He loved her for the kindness in her eyes. Yet he hated her. He hated her for being the perfect girl. He hated her for her gentle smile and kind eyes. He hated her _because she breaks his heart everyday without knowing it_.

Smiling sorrowfully, Syaoran began strumming a tune to reflect his feelings. It was quiet and gentle. There were hints of pain evident in the melody, as well. In a varied combination of notes, both soft and reverberatingly strong, his feelings were exposed to the world. His emotions revealed, his cry echoed through song.

Many trees down, Sakura's sharp ears picked up on a tune. It was different. The slow, steady melody was sorrowful. It was just as lovely as the melody she heard the other day, yet it was sad. Whoever was playing it had to be an absolute genius to reflect his or her emotions so clearly through a single instrument.

This tune… its sorrow triggered something deep inside her, so heavily buried that it hurt even to _consider_ thinking about it.

In other words, her mother's death.

She stood up, suddenly determined to find the source of this beautiful music. Weaving her way through the Sakura trees, she finally spotted him, about ten feet away. His head was facing downwards, concentrating solely on the music he was playing. Her hair messily flowing around her, she watched him. The last time she had seen someone with such passion and fervor for an instrument was her mother. Those countless nights of falling asleep to Okaa-san's gentle guitar-playing repeated through her head like a film. Sakura then remembered one particular conversation so many years ago that still played vividly in her mind:

"_Okaa-san, I want you to play guitar for me forever!"_

_Her mother's long, violet waves gently rustled as she threw her head back, laughing. "Sakura-chan, I'm not going to be around forever. How will I play the guitar for you when I'm gone?"_

_Sakura's bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "Only you can play good!"_

"_How about this, Sakura-chan. When I'm gone, you're going to marry someone who can play the guitar just as well as me, maybe even better. That way, when he plays for you, you can think of me!"_

"…_I guess that do," Sakura reluctantly replied. Nadeshiko smiled, planting a kiss on Sakura's forehead._

Sakura smiled half-heartedly, thinking about her mother. She continued staring at the boy, playing with just as much passion as her mother did.

"That's beautiful," she whispered, the sound of her voice barely audible. She didn't have to speak it loudly, for she knew he would hear.

Suddenly startled to hear a voice, Syaoran's head snapped up. His amber eyes locked with her fascinatingly emerald ones, and they continued staring at each other as his fingers still went on, strumming the right chords.

Instead of ignoring her and breaking her gaze, like he would've any other girl, he stared her dead in the eye and quietly said, "Thank you."

The school bell rang, yet none of the two moved. They shared a steady gaze, his sorrowful amber eyes searching her emerald ones, glistening with unshed tears. He vaguely recognized her as Kinomoto Sakura. She was in one or two of his classes, and was extremely popular. But she was different. Cheerful and bubbly she would appear, but little did she know, her secret was immediately made clear to him.

For in this girl, he saw emotions that he knew were rarely revealed to anyone. Hurt, anger, and despair were reflected in her stunning eyes, as well as some hints of hope. Most importantly, though, the word that came to mind when he saw her was the same word that he used to describe his own heart.

Lonely.

_**x3**_

Read & review! Hope you lalalalaloved it!

_:peachesxcream:_


	4. Amber

Heyyy minna-san! For some odd reason, Eileen here had this sudden urge to update _Heartbreaker_ and make you guys happy. So here we are, back again with your newest chapter! Enjoy, loves.

Disclaimer: We totally don't own CCS. If we did, we wouldn't be nearly as pathetic as we are now! D CLAMP does!

* * *

_Heartbreaker_

_:peachesxcream:_

_Chapter 4: Amber_

_**x3**_

Sakura just could not concentrate.

She fiddled with her hands, clicked her tongue, made faces at herself in the mirror, and even tried balancing on one foot. Her new record (it had been an hour and a half since she started this little game of hers)? Two minutes and thirty-seven seconds!

"Kinomoto Sakura," her violet-haired best friend growled, "if you don't keep still, I'm going to purposely prick you with this needle."

Sakura merely flicked her auburn tresses behind her shoulder and scoffed. "I don't mind. You're the one who'll be going to jail for child abu – ITAI!"

With a triumphant gleam in her indigo eyes, Tomoyo continued weaving the sharp end of her needle through the sheer pink fabric. "You should know me by now, Sakura-chan. I never back down on my word."

"Eh." Sakura observed herself in the mirror with a fleeting glance while silently agreeing with Tomoyo. Curly auburn locks trickled down her shoulders in layers, some ending at her shoulders and some ending at her mid-back. A layer of mascara elongated her thick eyelashes, a subtle rosy blush enhanced her cheekbones, and a fruity tooty-colored lip gloss brightened her warm smile. A flirty, tickle-me-pink dress ended above her knees, exposing her slim, semi-tanned legs. The skirt of the dress resembled something like sheer banana peels (_cute _ones, mind you), and the top portion was quite form-fitting, considering the fact that the dress was strapless. A pair of white ballet flats adorned her petite feet, and a single golden necklace hung delicately around her neck. All in all, the 5'4 girl looked gorgeous.

"To-mo-yo-cha-a-an," Sakura whined distastefully, "I look like an overripe banana… dyed _pink_!"

Tomoyo lightly poked the needle against the smooth skin of Sakura's leg. "Quit your whining, baka. You look kawaii, and you know it! Plus, when you break it off with Kenji tonight, you'll look so pretty that he might not even cry!"

Sakura frowned a little as she remembered what she was dressing up for, still managing to look stunning. That's right… tonight was her third date with Kenji. The date she dreaded the most. The date she'd have to break his heart.

"Tomoyo-chan, when you dumped Hiro… did you feel bad?"

In return, Tomoyo scrunched her face a bit, frustrated with her sewing. "Hai, I did feel bad. But you know what I realized? That's the only way to get through this bet. Start on good terms with him, end on good terms with him. Be gentle, so you can stay friends and your reputation won't be harmed." She muttered a few harsh words to the fabric before continuing. "I know it sounds a bit cold, but… I mean, in a way, the bet can be fun!"

Sakura twirled a finger around a reddish-brown curl, unsure of herself. She only hoped that tonight at _Eccentricity_, Kenji would have a good enough time so that when she broke the news to him, he wouldn't be devastated.

_**x3**_

"Remind me again why we're here?" Syaoran scratched the back of his amber head in uncertainty as he observed his foreign surroundings. Colorful beams of light flashed all around the dark club, rapidly traveling to give the teen hangout a funky vibe. The heavy bass of a fast-paced hip hop song reverberated through his body, startling him.

His cousin's cerulean eyes twinkled mischievously behind his glasses. "Because everyone goes to _Eccentricity_ on Saturday nights. It's common knowledge if you go to Tomoeda High! Plus, you look _hot _tonight!" At this, he touched a pointer finger to Syaoran's shoulder and made a sizzling noise, wiggling his eyebrows. _Suggestively_.

Shuddering in disgust, Syaoran slid a couple of paces away then glanced quickly at his outfit. A forest green fitted tee covered his upper body, enhancing the color of his eyes. Slightly baggy jeans and skater shoes completed the simple look. He did look pretty good tonight. Not like he was going to tell Eriol that he agreed with him.

"Say, Eriol, I've been meaning to ask you…" Syaoran's deep voice trailed off in shock. "Kami-sama, she's here!"

Eriol's eyes furrowed in confusion. "Who's here?" His head whipped from side to side, looking for "her."

"_She_'s here! _Ahhhh!_ Hide me, Eriol!" Syaoran's tall frame disappeared, cowering behind his cousin. With a worried look in his amber eyes, he slightly whimpered.

Eriol only laughed at his actions. His cerulean eyes finally rested upon Tanaka Aya, inevitably trailing down her figure. Gorgeous, yes. Too bad she was a… well, let's just say… it wasn't very nice, and it _rhymed with witch_. But it wasn't like he was going to let Syaoran know of her true side.

"Get up, boy," Eriol advised with a smack on Syaoran's back. "No need to add to your pathetic-ness!"

Syaoran automatically stood straight, but still sort of hid behind Eriol. "You're right. I can't let her see my weak side! Eriol, how do I get her to notice me?" he whined, sounding like a desperate little school girl.

"Ask her to dance." Eriol said it simply, wandering over to a seat near the "bar" (they only served soda and non-alcoholic beverages there) with Syaoran trailing him like a lost puppy.

Syaoran stared at Eriol in amazement. "Are you joking! I don't know about you, Eriol, but I have something called _sanity_. Ever heard of it?"

Eriol merely shrugged. "Well, if you won't ask her to dance, I guess I will then!" He pretended to get up from his seat when a pair of muscular arms set him down firmly.

"Iie. I-I'll ask her."

Taking baby steps, Syaoran sluggishly proceeded to the middle of the dance floor to where Aya stood in her flowy white halter dress, rocking smoothly to the beat with her equally gorgeous friends. A slow song suddenly came on, and Syaoran almost turned around and walked back until he saw Eriol's eyes glaring daggers at him, urging him to continue. Reluctantly, he reached Aya and was about to tap her on the shoulder when a pair of arms enclosed around her waist. She squealed as he, her boyfriend, whispered something in her ear and they began slow dancing right then and there.

Dejectedly, Syaoran's arm made its way back to his side where it belonged. He began walking away when a voice behind him called out, "Wait, were you going to ask me something?"

_**x3**_

She had to admit, she was having fun. Kenji wasn't half-bad at dancing. They moved rhythmically to the slick hip-hop beat, obviously enjoying themselves thoroughly. The song eventually came to an end, leading to a sappy slow song.

Kenji glanced at Sakura hopefully. "Sakura-chan…"

She giggled, putting her arms around his neck. "Of course, Kenji-kun."

They swayed in time with the mellow tune as Sakura glanced at the dance floor. It had thinned considerably because many people had come without dates, unlike she had. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone familiar. It was the guy with those amber eyes! She watched him as he was about to tap a girl on the back, then stopped because someone – most probably her boyfriend – began dancing with her. His arm dropped as he stared at the floor, crestfallen. A pang of sympathy caused her to break away from Kenji after dancing with him for only a couple of seconds.

"Hold on, Kenji-kun. There's something I have to do really quickly." Without hearing his response, she made her way across the dimly lit club to where Amber Eyes stood.

"Wait, were you going to ask me something?" the girl dressed in white asked Amber Eyes. Startled, he glanced up at her, too nervous to utter a sound.

"I-I-" _'He obviously likes this girl,'_ Sakura thought to herself as she strode over to him. Peering closely, she observed the girl's face. That was Tanaka Aya! The same spiteful Tanaka Aya that "accidentally" spilled green paint on her ("Don't worry, Sakura-chan, it matches your eyes!") in third grade! _'Why, I oughta…'_

"I-I- y-you see, I-" Amber Eyes stuttered, unable to form his words.

"Iie, he thought you were me, so he was going to ask you to dance. But you're _obviously_ not me, so go on dancing, _Aya-chan_." Sakura smirked confidently at Aya, placing her arms around Amber Eyes's neck.

Aya raised an eyebrow, dragging her boyfriend to another spot on the dance floor, somewhere farther from Sakura. "No problem, _Sakura-chan_."

Sakura glanced up at Amber Eyes (keep in mind he's about nine inches taller than she is), smiling a little.

Amber Eyes, still recovering from his state of shock, uttered an "A-Arigatou." Finally looking down at the girl who saved him, his _amber_ _eyes_ (ha ha) widened, instantly recognizing the pretty face. Kinomoto Sakura.

"K-Kinomoto-san!" Amber Eyes exclaimed in surprise. He then observed her outfit, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks. "Gosh, y-you look pretty today…"

Sakura threw her head back, laughing at his cuteness. It was only her second time speaking to him, yet she already felt at ease with him. "Call me Sakura-chan. Gomen for being rude, but what's your name again?"

Amber Eyes smiled shyly. "Li Syaoran." Suddenly aware of how closely she was hugging him as they swayed to the music, his blush deepened noticeably. "K-Kinomoto – I-I mean, Sakura-chan – y-you don't mind dancing close to me?"

She laughed again, auburn curls cascading down her back. Sakura reached up, jokingly pinching one of his flushed cheeks. "You're too kawaii, Li-kun."

Syaoran averted her gaze bashfully, muttering quietly, "Arigatou again. For saving me back there. It's just… she's so pretty, and she makes me nervous…"

'_How can such a nice guy like someone so wicked? But he really seems to like her, so I guess I won't tell him how evil she is…'_ "It's no problem, Li-kun." Sakura smiled before turning slightly to look at Kenji, then turning to face Syaoran once again.

Syaoran locked eyes with her. Yup, it really was the Sakura he saw the other day. The girl with those beautiful emerald eyes that he was intrigued by. The girl with glints of sorrow hidden in her orbs among the cheerfulness and delight. The girl who was aching inside. He, on the other hand, was aching to know the source of the evident pain in her eyes.

"Listen, Sakura-chan, about the other day…"

"Gomen nasai, Li-kun, but I've really got to get back to my date now. I'll talk to you later, okay? Ja ne!" Skipping across the dance floor, she weaved her way through the newly-formed throngs of people, back on the dance floor since loud, upbeat music now pounded through the speakers.

Staring after the mysterious girl, Syaoran came to a realization that, in fact, the slow song was over.

As he made his way to the "bar," a grin sprouted on his face without his consent.

That slow song had ended just a bit too early for him.

_**x3**_

There were alone. In his car. He was slowly leaning in, anticipating his good night kiss, his eyes closing ever so slightly…

Until her hand wedged its way in between her lips and his.

"S-Sakura-chan!" Kenji cried, highly embarrassed at her actions.

Sakura looked down, ashamed of herself. "G-Gomen nasai, Kenji-kun. It's just…" She twirled an auburn strand around her finger nervously. "I just…"

Kenji leaned in, eyes wide, waiting for her answer as to why she rejected his kiss. "You what?"

"K-Kenji, I'm really sorry, but I don't think we should see each other anymore." Sakura winced, closing her eyes tightly.

It was too quiet. The tension between them thickened before she finally cracked open an eye to find him staring mournfully into his lap.

"It's all right, Kinomoto-san. I understand," he muttered quietly.

She breathed a sigh of relief (maybe a bit too loud), her hand placed over her guilty heart. "Do you really, Kenji-kun? I feel so bad… It's just that, I've had a lot of fun hanging out with you these past few days, but I don't think you're my type. But I'd really like for us to stay friends…?" Sakura inhaled, expecting a big "IIE!".

"I guess," he said quietly with a hint of sadness.

"Okay, Kenji-kun…" She smiled weakly at him. "Thanks for a great night!" She exited the sleek car, shutting the door behind her. Running into her house, then to her bedroom, she collapsed upon her pink bed in exhaustion.

Was this how low she had stooped to? To the point that even she felt sorry for herself?

At least Kenji wasn't mad… she hoped. He just looked unbelievably sad.

After freshening up for bed, Sakura tucked herself under her fluffy comforter. Her mind replayed over the night's events. Dancing with Kenji, saving Amber Eyes – well, Li Syaoran was his name – from the evil clutches of Tanaka Aya, and breaking her first heart.

Giggling sleepily (and sounding a bit drunk in the process), Sakura's mind mulled over those short four minutes she danced with Syaoran. And, oddly enough, the short four minutes that had been the highlight of her night.

She would have to thank Amber Eyes for that dance the next time she saw him.

But first, she would have to get out of the habit of calling him that. If not for Amber Eyes, what else would she have called him? Messy-Chocolate-Brown-Hair? Amber Eyes suited him well, though. It was like her new codename for him. After all, his eyes were… well…

Amber.

_**x3**_

Another chapter, DONE! Hehe, hope you all enjoyed it. Read & review!

_:peachesxcream:_


	5. Overlooked

Yo, minna-san. Peachesxcream are baaaaack! Christmas vacation has finally arrived, and the relief of being stress-free has motivated us to update. So sit back, relax, and hopefully enjoy!

Disclaimer: Eileen and Jenna still don't own CCS. Such a shame.

* * *

_Heartbreaker_

_:peachesxcream:_

_Chapter 5: Overlooked_

_**x3**_

Daidouji Tomoyo jammed her earpieces (quite dangerously) into her double-pierced ears, slipping her I-pod into the back pocket of her custom-designed sweats. She swept her violet locks into a "messy" hair-do; you know, the ones where it looks like you just got up out of bed, but you actually spent thirty minutes or so making it look perfect. And, after a mere ten minutes of perfecting it, Tomoyo's hair did look perfect. _She _looked perfect. As always.

An upbeat song flowed from her earpieces, causing her head to nod to the rhythm. She leaned over her desk, reaching for a _lavender_ clipboard that had _lavender_ paper tucked neatly underneath the _lavender _plastic clip. In a plum-colored gel pen, Tomoyo had re-written the names on her list of guys. She shook her head sadly at her tidy work. _'I'm so grossly anal.'_

Gripping that same gel pen, she crossed off the name of her second guy, Junji. It had been easy enough to break it off with him. Junji was pretty easy-going. Humming to herself softly, she glanced at the name under Junji's so she'd know who to approach tomorrow.

_Hiiragizawa Eriol_.

_**x3**_

She was insane. Utterly mad. _Loco_.

The whole day, she was unable to concentrate on her schoolwork. Most days, she at least _attempted _to, but today was out of the question. She had daydreamed in class, stumbled in the halls, and even managed to walk into the closed door of her calculus classroom. All in all, she was a mess. Why?

Because of Li Syaoran.

Since Saturday night, her mind would wander from the most random thoughts to Syaoran. After a few hours of denial on Sunday, she finally gave up and allowed herself to think about him. In fact, she even invented a game concerning her thoughts about him. The idea was to relate any random word to Syaoran, a.k.a. Amber Eyes. For instance…

1) Flower pot? Syaoran has brown hair and eyes. Flowers grow in soil. Soil is brown. Thus, the connection between Syaoran and a flower pot.

2) A keychain of Mickey Mouse? Mickey Mouse always has a huge smile on his face. The same smile that appears on Sakura's face when she thinks about those short four minutes during which she danced with Syaoran. Thus, the connection between Syaoran and a keychain of Mickey Mouse.

And now, as she sat, slumped in her seat, last period of the day, Sakura was becoming restless. She wanted to see him. She wanted him to smile at her. She wanted him to call her pretty and make her blush and make butterflies rise in the pit of her stomach.

'_This is disgusting. I've only spoken a few sentences to him, yet I can't stop thinking about him. Maybe this is one of those week-long crushes…?'_ Sakura began banging her head quietly on the wooden desk, unaware of the suspicious glances her classmates were sending her.

After what seemed like twenty days of banging her head on the desk (it was actually a minute and a half), the school bell sounded, signaling the end of class. More importantly, the end of the school day.

"EUREKA!!!" Sakura emerald eyes lit up as she rejoiced, scooping up her books in one hand and slinging her backpack over the opposite shoulder. She skipped out of the classroom, her auburn locks whipping those who ventured to travel within three feet of her.

She bounced elatedly towards her locker, carelessly tossing her backpack at the foot of her locker. She swayed to an unheard melody as she twisted the black lock, laughing evilly when the door of her locker swung open. Transferring various books from her locker to her bag, she sighed dreamily, thinking about _him_. She slammed the door of her locker shut then made her way outside to the quad, where she and her friends sometimes hung out after school.

On her way, she clumsily bumped into many people, still on the lookout for Amber Eyes. Sakura squinted her pretty eyes in the sunlight, purposely taking the route that passed by the cherry blossom trees. She just couldn't _wait _to see him. And alas, there he was!

Resting against the trunk of a Sakura tree, Syaoran sat, his messy amber locks partially hidden under a military-style hat. He subconsciously bit at his lower lip in deep thought, writing something on a notepad. Feeling someone staring at him, he looked up, causing the butterflies in Sakura's stomach to flutter around even more. Sakura smiled shyly and waved, expecting him to wave back. And he smiled.

But not at her.

Confused, Sakura turned around, hearing voices obnoxiously gossiping behind her, "…and she was like, 'Eww, no way am I going out with that freak!' And I, you know, being a good person and all, was like, 'But why, you totally should, because, like, at least he doesn't look as bad as your ex-boyfriend!' And she totally…"

It was Tanaka Aya. With her sky blue eyes and gorgeous, ebony curls, she was absolutely beautiful. A rotten, conniving apple, but nevertheless, a beautiful one. Of course Syaoran would love _her_.

Managing to keep the smile on her face, Sakura began to call out, "Syao…", but she never had a chance to finish. After seeing Aya, Syaoran immediately stood up, and gathered his notebook, guitar, and backpack. Watching Aya settle down at a nearby table, he _inconspicuously_ (cough) jogged over to another spot where he would be able to have a better view of her. And he did all this without a glance at the desolate auburn-haired girl.

Dropping her hand to her side, Sakura slowly dragged her feet along the path that was littered with cherry blossoms, feeling about as dejected as Syaoran must feel about Aya, when he remembers that she doesn't care the least bit about him.

_**x3**_

With swiftness and immense concentration, a midnight-haired teenager kicked the soccer ball past the goalie and into the imaginary goal he and his friends had set up on a field of grass. High-fiving his teammates, he began walking back towards his position when he noticed a petite girl standing near the corner of the field, watching.

Scoring another goal, Eriol turned around to see the same girl, watching their little match. After a few minutes of more observation, Eriol came to a conclusion: she wasn't watching _them,_ she was watching _him_. Catching her eye, he smirked at her. She bit her lip and looked down, blushing, only raising her head when she was certain he wasn't looking at her.

"Check this out," Eriol muttered with a devious smile. His teammate passed him the ball, and he trapped it, skillfully weaving his way around the opposing team members. Passing the ball underneath the legs of one of his opponents, Niito, he jumped over his outspread leg, retrieving the ball behind him. With one swift kick, he made it into the goal.

"Yo, Hiiragizawa, why you showin' off for? We all know you're good; you don't have to prove it with your fancy moves!" Niito playfully insulted Eriol.

"Yeah, Hiiragizawa, the only time you ever use those moves of yours is when a girl's watching," another accused.

All his friends snickered, and Eriol blushed heavily, hoping that the pretty girl who was watching him didn't hear. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the girl cover her mouth with one hand, laughing out loud at what his friends claimed.

"Okay, guys, I'm out." Eriol glanced away from his friends, trying to hide his flaming cheeks.

"C'mon, Hiiragizawa, we were just playing around!" Niito called out. "No need to be a bad sport!"

Eriol turned around (making sure he was far enough so that they couldn't see his blush) and flipped him off, smirking. "I'm just tired after whooping your ass for an hour straight, Niito!"

After grabbing his duffel bag off of the ground and slinging it over his shoulder, he glanced back at the girl who, at a closer look, had violet eyes and hair to match. She was still laughing to herself as she watched him amble down the pathway.

"Are you laughing at me?!" Eriol glared at her. When he didn't get a response, he shook his head, walking off. "Girls," he muttered under his breath.

The girl walked quickly towards his retreating back, her long violet waves swaying. "So you think I'm attractive," she informed him when she fell into step with him.

Eriol's cerulean eyes widened behind his glasses as he stopped in mid-step, surprised by her straightforwardness. "Nani?!"

She smirked, a mischievous twinkle evident in her eyes. "Your friends said you only do those fancy tricks when you see a pretty girl." Indeed, she was pretty. Wearing a short-sleeved, black tunic-style top with a sash tying in a bow on her lower back, all paired with skinny jeans, she was stunning.

'_Two can play that game.'_

"Actually," Eriol smirked, towering over her by almost a foot, "it's your delicate nose…" he leaned in close to her face and pinched her nose with his thumb and pointer finger, "your entrancing indigo eyes…" he outlined her left eye with his the tip of his finger, "and your lush, pink lips…" he held her delicate chin with his hand and brushed a thumb over her lips.

At this point, the petite girl's eyes were wide anticipation, her body trembling from nervousness caused by his touch. "W-What ab-bout them?" she managed to utter.

"…that make you resemble the stuffed animal I fed to my dog as his new toy two days ago."

Her jaw dropped open in utter shock, and he laughed heartily, clutching his stomach. She merely looked away then smiled fakely at him. "Very funny."

"Y-You – HAHAHAHA – your **_LUSH, P-P-PINK L- _**HAHAHAHA!" At this point, Eriol was lying on the sidewalk, slapping his hand repeatedly on the cement, and the girl couldn't help but chuckle too. After two minutes of crying (from laughter), Eriol sobered and stood up.

"You're Daidouji, right?" He chuckled while he scooped up his duffel bag. She smiled up at him, holding out her hand. "And you're Hiiragizawa."

He nodded while she continued holding out her hand, saying, "Pleased to meet you! Call me Tomoyo."

Eriol merely smirked and ruffled the top of her violet hair while her jaw dropped in disbelief once more. Then he turned around and began walking towards the school gate.

"Call me Eriol."

And while Tomoyo began heading back to where her friends were chatting, the smile she had been fighting to keep off of her face earlier sprung up without her consent.

_**x3**_

Sakura collapsed onto her bed, feeling no urge to begin her homework… not like she ever did. But this time, it was because Li Syaoran was _still_ preventing her thoughts from flowing regularly. Like he had been the whole school day.

Tucking her small chin onto a white pillow, she closed her eyes in exhaustion. She grasped blindly in the air over her nightstand, knocking down a water bottle and two books, until her slender fingers finally came across a sheet of stationary paper and a pen. Emitting a sigh, she tiredly opened her eyes and began writing on the paper.

"_**Overlooked**. He didn't see me today. I basically spent my whole weekend… well, Sunday… planning what I was going to say to him. Why? I honestly can't answer that. There's just something about him… Kami-sama, I'm being so corny… anyways, there's just something about him that I can't place my finger on. But whatever it is, I'm attracted to it. I hope it's just a slight crush, and that it won't become anything more. Because, honestly, I can't afford to get attached to anyone now, what with the whole bet, and… I don't know. Just, everything that's going on in my life now. I'm really starting to regret agreeing to this bet, too, because it's adding pressure. Anyways, I was so restless throughout the whole day. Not to mention clumsy, although I usually am. But today I really wanted to see him. Like, my day wasn't going to be complete if I didn't or something stupid like that. So I saw him after school, smiled, and waved. Of course, he saw Aya, who – I swear – was right next to me. He only saw Aya, and not me at all. But there's always next time… right? Love, Cherry Blossom._"

Heaving another loud sigh, she blew on the paper so the ink wouldn't smudge her neat writing. In a matter of seconds, she expertly folded the paper into she shape of tiny, coin-sized heart. Sakura picked up a glass jar from her shelf and pulled open the lid, slipping her freshly-written paper heart inside it. She placed the lid back on the jar and shook it. Then, sticking her hand deep inside the jar, she plucked a random heart from the hundreds piled inside it and unfolded it.

"**_Abandoned_**. _Touya and Otou-san are, once again, gone. Why is it that they're always gone when I need them the most? If Okaa-san were still alive, we would always_, _no hesitation, celebrate the Holidays together. I still love them and all, but they're just not around enough. At least I have Tomoyo-chan here. After all, I wouldn't want another lonely Christmas and New Year's, right? I just don't see what could possibly be more important for a father: spending time with his motherless kids at Christmas, or digging up fossils?! And Touya. He'd rather spend the Holidays vacationing with his friends, because being with his little annoying sister is too lonely and quiet. I'm hoping for at least a call from him and Otou-san on Christmas and New Year's. Maybe even a surprise visit from one of them? Nah, I'm hoping for too much. Love, Cherry Blossom."_

Sakura exhaled a breath she had been holding in. Was this how lonely she really was? So lonely that the only person she has to turn to is Tomoyo? Sure, Sakura always confided in Tomoyo, but they _never_ talked about Sakura's mom. _Ever. _It was just too painful for Sakura. Besides, would Tomoyo even understand? Of course she'd be sympathetic – she always had been a caring best friend – but she didn't know how it felt to lose someone dear to her.

Slowly folding the two-year-old paper back into a heart, Sakura rapidly blinked her jade green eyes, as to prevent tears from escaping. She walked back to her bed, tucked herself underneath the sheets, and fell fast asleep, humming to herself the soothing tune she had heard Syaoran play underneath the cherry blossom trees.

_**x3**_

Whooohoooo! Finished with this chapter! Hehe, sorry if we tend to update only when there's break, but school has just been so hectic lately, because of testing and projects and such. At least finals are over, ne? Read & review!

_:peachesxcream:_


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